Catch The Wave

It's High Tide In The Sport-utility Market

February 09, 1997|By Anita Lienert. Special to the Tribune.

A tremendous surge of interest in sport-utility vehicles has been accompanied this year by a wave of new and improved models in the entry-level, mid-range and premium segments of the burgeoning market.

Not content to trumpet their improvements for 1997, several manufacturers--notably Lincoln, Dodge and Subaru--are revealing new entries for the 1998 model year, though several won't go on sale for months.

Subaru's snazzy Forester joins the sizzling compact segment this year and will be pitted against the Toyota RAV4 and Honda's new CR-V. Based on the mid-size Legacy/Outback series, with styling cues from the Streega concept vehicle, the '98 Forester will be imported from Japan this fall and eventually could be built at the Subaru-Isuzu Automotive plant in Lafayette, Ind.

In the middle of the market, the Dodge Dakota pickup has spawned a new eight-passenger, four-door sport-utility called the Durango that straddles the fence in size and price between the Ford Explorer and Expedition. Engine choices will range from a 3.9-liter V-6 to a 5.9-liter V-8, and prices will start at less than $24,000.

The Lincoln Navigator is entering a growing subsegment of the sport-ute market that could see another new arrival this fall--the 1998 GMC Yukon Denali, a leather-swaddled, wood-trimmed, accessory-laden edition of General Motors' big four-door sport-ute originally planned for Cadillac.

Given this level of activity, there's no telling what other surprises lie in store in sport-utilities in the coming year.

Among the more noteworthy changes for 1997:

$12,000 to $20,000

Jeep has been refurbishing the lower end of its range in the last year. The Wrangler was redesigned, and the '97 edition introduced nearly a year ago. Models include the SE, Sport and Sahara. The mid-range Cherokee received a mild freshening over the winter, including a revised front end, plus a new instrument panel with dual air bags.

The Canadian-built Geo Tracker for '97 features a standard folding rear bench seat on the two-door model. Its assembly-line companion, the Suzuki Sidekick, now offers standard dual power mirrors and optional four-wheel anti-lock brakes on JS and JX models. The smaller Suzuki X-90 gets an optional automatic transmission on the two-wheel-drive model and optional four-wheel ABS on both, with cruise control standard on the 4WD model with ABS.

Toyota's red-hot RAV4 now features a standard digital clock and more insulation on all models. There's an optional power moonroof on four-doors, plus new fabric and a sliding passenger seat on two-doors.

$20,000 to $35,000

The class-leading Ford Explorer boasts a new 4-liter, single-overhead-cam, V-6 that packs more wallop--205 horsepower--plus a new five-speed automatic transmission and redesigned center console. Explorer's stablemate, the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer, was introduced last summer; a 5-liter, 211-h.p. V-8 is standard.

Explorer and Mountaineer have been joined by a new full-size entry for 1997--the Ford Expedition. The four-door successor to the big Bronco is aimed at Chevrolet's Tahoe and Suburban. The '97 Expedition shares its front-end sheet metal and most chassis and drivetrain components with the best-selling F150 pickup. If you haven't put your order in, you may have to wait for the '98s; word from Ford is that the initial production run is sold out for the rest of the model year.

At General Motors, there are notable changes in all three sport-ute series. There are mild mechanical revisions on the compact Chevrolet Blazer, GMC Jimmy and Oldsmobile Bravada, including a new one-piece liftgate with separate glass. In addition, Blazer offers a new ZR2 off-road package on two-door 4x4 models, while a power sunroof and a new Gold Package are available on Jimmy.

The full-size Tahoe, Yukon and Suburban models add a passenger-side air bag for '97 and feature improved transmission and steering.

There's a sporty new TSi edition of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but Chrysler's most popular sport-ute otherwise gets few significant changes for '97.

Honda leads the charge from Japan, with its CR-V, a brand-new Civic-based four-door arriving this spring to do battle with the RAV4. In addition, all versions of the Indiana-built Passport (from Subaru-Isuzu Automotive) have Isuzu's 3.2-liter, 190-h.p. V-6.

Another Japanese newcomer for '97 is the Mitsubishi Montero Sport, a mid-priced four-door based on the home-market L200 pickup and aimed at the CR-V and RAV4. Slotted just above is the regular Montero, which offers a new 3.5-liter, 200-h.p. V-6 on LS and SR models. In addition, a new Infinity premium audio system and leather upholstery are standard on the Montero SR, and heated front seats are available on both.